Model Anja Rubik Launches a Perfume—and It's Really Good

After years and years of fashion designers launching fragrances, and celebrities launching fragrances, and athletes launching fragrances, here's a new one for ya: a model launching a fragrance. This month, Polish-born model Anja Rubik premiered her very first perfume, Original by Anja Rubik, on Net-a-Porter. I have to say, I was skeptical at first. With such an oversaturated fragrance market, what is a model going to bring to the table? Well, a lot actually. Original is good. Really good. The subtle yet sexy scent is woody but flowery, with the faintest hint of spice, and the black-and-white bottle looks incredibly chic sitting on my desk (where it now stays for the occasional midday spritz). Here's where I metaphorically put my foot in my mouth—and let Rubik tell you the story behind her debut.

Why did you decide to create a fragrance? "It's been one of my dreams. I mean, I've been the face of many fragrances, but that's not about me; that's the vision of the designer and of the fashion house. I wanted to put out something that really identified with me, my vision of beauty, my aesthetic, and my world. I also wanted to create something I did all on my own."

How did you start coming up with the scent itself?"Once I had the idea in my head to create a perfume, I started to think about it more, and I thought about the power and the impact of smell and how the sense of smell can really put us in a mood or a state of mind. So I wanted to put a fragrance out there that not only smells beautiful but also has an identity behind it. I'm very pro girl power, and I thought it would be incredible if the fragrance had that message. It's about empowering women to find themselves, to be themselves. It's about confidence to follow your dreams and your own path. It's difficult these days, with the magazines and social media and Internet—everyone is trying to tell you what to look like, how to be, what to do, and it's very important not to lose yourself."

So how does that scent reflect that message?"I wanted the fragrance to be more in the niche category. I wanted it to smell quite sensual and fresh but also slightly unisex. That's why I added amber and green tea, two notes that I find very unisex. And then I used white lilies. I first fell in love with lilies because of the photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. I love black-and-white photography and how he portrayed flowers. I love the way lilies are so sensual, how they're so simple, but at the same time fragile, but then also a symbol of erotica. I wanted the scent itself to have many different layers to it. There are simple scents out there, but I actually like more complicated fragrances."

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Have you always been attracted to fragrances with lily?"I think I'm more attracted to the scent of the real flower, not so much to lily fragrances. And at first I couldn't find the right lily note. But with the help of perfumer Patricia Choux, who has an amazing nose, we created a lily note the way I wanted it to smell. Usually it's too sweet, so we added in iris and amber to balance it, as well as green tea, some wood notes, and a bit of pink peppercorn to make it spicy."

And what about the bottle? What was your inspiration for that?"I wanted something that was timeless and chic, and something very minimal. As I said, Robert Mapplethorpe and his black-and-white image of the lily was a huge reference for me, so for this project I went for something black-and-white. Then I like that there is an asymmetric line in the back. It's different, and it's similar to my fashion tastes—I love slits. It reminds of the dress I wore to the Met Ball."

Have you always loved fragrance?"Yes! My first perfume was Yohji by Yohji Yamamoto, which I love but they don't make anymore. Since I can remember, I would mix my scents to create my own. I don't like very strong fragrances. I like when a women walks in the door and you see her first and then smell her, not the other way around."

Is there a scent you loved but can't wear anymore?"I wore Angel for a long time, and I loved it, but tastes change."

Do you care what scent your husband wears?"He's always worn this Acqua di Parma scent. I guess it's what I like on him because I met him when he was wearing it, and if he changed it, I wouldn't be too happy."

You chose to launch the scent in Poland first."Yes. It was really important to me to launch it there and then take it abroad. That's where I'm from; that's my originality."